


chuck e. cheese’s and duck pyjamas

by rosyafternoons



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, First Date, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 23:51:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16397441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosyafternoons/pseuds/rosyafternoons
Summary: Rayla and Claudia go out on their first date. Shenanigans ensue.





	chuck e. cheese’s and duck pyjamas

Rayla stood in front of the mirror and sighed. This was the third outfit she’d tried on, and she still couldn’t find anything to wear. She twisted to the side, and then the other, before tugging down the denim skirt Callum and Ezran had picked out for her. She knew it was a bad idea to ask them for help, but she herself wasn’t exactly the best at knowing what to wear, and she _really_ didn’t want to screw this up.

Her eyes fell on her own in the mirror and she moved so that she could better scrutinise her reflection. The face staring back at her moved its mouth to the side and scrunched its eyebrows together in concentration, before tilting its head up and down to check for any foundation spots she’d missed before. She’d tried her best to put on a little makeup – mascara, lipgloss, eyebrow gel, powder – but she was so worried she’d done it wrong that she ended up taking most of it off. This kind of stuff was never her strong-suit. Which reminded her-

“Rayla? You all good in there?” Callum’s voice came from the other side of her bedroom door after a couple of knocks, and then Ezran piped up too.

“Yeah, is everything alright? You’ve been in there for a wh-“ Ezran didn’t finish his sentence, and Rayla could only imagine Callum putting a hand over his younger siblings mouth.

“What he means to say is…uhh…” Callum trailed off, clearly not thinking as far as to come up with an excuse for Ezran’s words.

“I’m fine,” Rayla interrupted before the two of them could make things any more awkward, “I…might need some help though. You guys can come in.”

The door opened from behind her and her eyes followed Ezran and Callum through the mirror as they wandered in.

“Uh, what do you need?” Callum asked, clearing his throat as his eyes scanned the discarded makeup wipes that littered her carpet.

Rayla turned around, motioning to her lilac singlet and high-waisted denim skirt, “Do I look alright? Be honest.”

“Yeah, you look great!” Ezran smiled.

“Thanks Ez,” Rayla smiled back.

“You look fine, Rayla. Why wouldn’t you?” Callum’s eyebrows scrunched up in concern.

Rayla sucked in a breath, “I don’t know…” Her eyes flitted back to her reflection in the mirror, and she sat down on the edge of her bed, “I guess I just wanted to look _nice_ for once,” she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, looking off to the side, ”I’ve never really been good at the whole…looking nice thing.”

“Rayla…” Callum sat down next to her, taking his time to find the right words to say, “Just because you don’t dress up often, doesn’t make you any less ‘nice looking’. You’re special in your own way.”

Rayla looked back up at him, “Thanks Callum,” she lifted her legs onto the bed and pulled her knees into her chest, “I guess I’m just a little nervous. This is the first time I’ve ever gone on a proper date, and I just want it to be perfect.”

Callum reached a hand over to rest on Rayla’s shoulder, “And that’s only rational. What really matters, though, is that you’re comfortable and that you both have a good time,” he smiled, and then added, “Plus, I’m sure Claudia’s gonna be swooning no matter what you wear.”

“Callum!” Rayla gasped, but couldn’t stop the red from rising to her cheeks.

“You better hurry up, Soren said she’ll be here in 10.”

And with that, Callum got up and walked towards the door. Ezran turned and gave her a thumbs up and a bright smile.

“Wait,” Rayla called just as they were about to leave. The two boys turned, and Rayla smiled sheepishly, “Thank you for helping me, guys. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Callum said, and shut the door with a soft ‘click’.

She turned back to her reflection, took a deep breath in, swept some of her hair from her face and picked up her shoes from the floor before heading out of her room.

*

The doorbell rang. She was here. She was _here_.

“She’s here,” Rayla’s eyes widened, only know aware of the knots her stomach was twisting into. Claudia was outside her house. Claudia was here. To take her out on a date. A date! Just the two of them! Alone! _Holy shit_ , she thought. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. What if Claudia didn’t like her? What if they ran out of things to say and it was really awkward? What if Rayla did something embarrassing and weirded Claudia out and then died of humiliation?

Just as she was contemplating running into her bedroom, locking the door behind her and pretending to be dead, Callum and Ezran clambered off of the couch and went to answer the door. _Traitors._

She heard the door open, and then the conversation that followed. She tried to make out the snippets of sentences that wafted into the dining room where she sat.

“She’s just in the other room. I’ll go get her – Ez, can you wait here and keep her company?”

_shit._

She looked up as Callum walked into the room.

“Your woman Is here,” Callum announced. She looked back down.

“I know.”

When she made no effort to move, Callum’s face twisted, confused, “Do you…want to go out with her?”

“Yes,” she replied almost immediately.

Callum paused, mind searching, before he seemed to conclude, “You’re nervous.”

Rayla nodded, eyes still cast to the floor. She saw Callum’s legs move as he walked towards her and then sat on the chair next to her.

“It’s okay to be nervous, you know,” He consoled her. Rayla was starting to feel kind of bad. She was the one who asked him to help her, and now she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to go.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“What? Why are you-“

“I dragged you and Ez out here and all I’ve done is make you guys worry over me. I mean, look at me! I’m sitting here moping over something silly and you’re comforting me.”

“Rayla, we’re your friends. That’s what we do,” Callum smiled, and Rayla looked up at him, “And about moping over something silly…you’re not silly, Rayla. We all get anxious sometimes, and you have every right to be nervous. Claudia probably feels exactly the same.”

Rayla smiled at that, “Thanks again, Callum. I seriously don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Just promise me you’ll go out and enjoy yourself tonight,” Callum reached out his hand, and outstretched his pinky.

Rayla smiled and interlocked hers with his, “I promise.”

“Good,” Callum smiled, “Now come on.”

*

Claudia was even more beautiful than Rayla remembered. Her hair, usually let loose and tumbling down her shoulders, had been put up into some sort of complicated bun Rayla couldn’t quite wrap her head around. Her dress was black, not unusual, but it wasn’t one that Rayla had seen her wearing before. It was sort of low-cut, tight around her waist but loose below it. She shouldn’t have been able to pull off wearing converse with a dress. She shouldn’t have, but she did. It looked cute and pretty and _nice_ , and Rayla suddenly wished she’d put a little more effort into her own outfit.

“Hi,” Claudia smiled. Callum was right – she did look a little nervous.

“Hey,” Rayla smiled back, despite her breath catching in her throat.

“You look nice,” Claudia gave her a once over, and Rayla hoped she didn’t imagine her eyes lingering on her lips. Her heart skipped a beat.

“So do you,” she replied. They held each other’s gaze for what seemed like minutes.

Claudia held her arm up, waiting for the other girl to take it, “Shall we?”

Rayla took her denim jacket off of the table and shrugged it on, before linking her arm with Claudia’s. “We shall,” she said, and turned around to wave goodbye to Callum and Ezran – who responded eagerly with disgusting kissy faces – before closing the door behind her.

And now it was just the two of them.

“So…” Rayla drew out the word, “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Claudia winked, beginning to walk towards her car. Rayla was so, so thankful that Claudia had finally gotten her own car – before the only time they could go out was if Soren lent Claudia his car. It was either that or Viren’s minivan, anyway.

“Oh come on, you’re not gonna tell me?” Rayla whined, but Claudia’s smile only grew. She skipped to the car, unlocked it and swung open the passenger door.

“Your chariot, m’lady,” Claudia pretended to tip her hat, and Rayla giggled, sliding into the passenger seat.

“I swear, if you’re taking me to Chuck E. Cheese’s-“

Claudia laughed, “While that is a great date idea and I’ll be sure to add that one to the list,” she said, and Rayla thought, _‘the list? As in more dates?’_ , before she continued, “that is _not_ where we’re going.”

Rayla sighed in relief, “Thank _god_ \- but for the record, there is literally no way I will ever step foot into a Chuck E. Cheese’s.”

“That’s what you say now, anyway,” Claudia sing-songed, and slammed her car door shut on that vaguely ominous note. She skipped around to her side of the car and hopped in, strapping on her seat belt. Rayla did the same. Claudia turned to her.

“Are you ready?” She asked. Her cheeks lit up with excitement, and Rayla wondered how on Earth this bubbly smiley girl agreed to go on a date with her.

Rayla just rolled her eyes (but like, in a fond sort of way).

“You’re so dramatic,” when Claudia didn’t seem like she was leaving any time soon, she sighed, “Yes, I’m ready.”

Claudia seemed satisfied with that, so she said, “That’s the spirit!” and turned the key in the ignition. Her eyes narrowed In concentration as she reversed out of the driveway, and then turned onto the road and began driving. Rayla’s stomach churned in anxiousness – from both the date and Claudia’s driving. She liked Claudia, really, but the girl had only gotten her license last month, and she wasn’t the most…cautious driver. She seemed to be going extra slow around all of the corners they rounded, though, and Rayla wondered if she was doing it just for her. Her cheeks heated up at the thought.

she turned her head to look out the window, watching the trees as they passed by.

This was really happening. Rayla was going on a date with Claudia. When she’d asked her last week, all sweaty palms and fidgeting hands, she’d fully expected her to say no. They were in the middle of watching Coraline for the hundredth time, but all Rayla could think about was Claudia, cuddled up next to her in her duck pyjamas, and how badly she wanted to tell her how she felt. They’d been friends and nothing more for years, and Rayla was certain that her feelings for the other girl were 100% unreciprocated – that was, until she confessed to Soren one night and he unceremoniously blurted out that his sister was a raging lesbian. Since then she had been trying to work up the courage to ask her out, waiting for a good moment.

They’d gotten to the part where Coraline was watching Mr. Bobinsky’s show with Wybie, when Rayla had turned to Claudia and breathed in, “Claudia?”

The girl in question turned to look at her, “Yeah?”

“Do you want to go on a date with me?”

When Claudia’s eyes widened, she hurriedly came to her own defence, “I mean, not if you don’t want to or anything! I was just wondering, is all.”

Claudia just smiled, “I honestly thought you’d never ask.”

They both didn’t pay much attention to the movie after that.

Rayla turned her attention to Claudia, hands gripping the steering wheel and eyes on the road. She’d always admired her, more beautiful and confident than she could ever hope to be, but now that they were, well, _going out_ , it put her in a whole new light. Now, Rayla thinks, she could look at her without fear of looking like a weirdo. She could take in her emerald eyes and long, curly lashes, her soft button nose and rosy cheeks. With her hair out of her face, it made her features even more noticeable. Was she wearing more makeup than usual? The pink dusting her cheeks seemed extra dark tonight, and she could have sworn that there was glitter on her nose, eyelids and underneath her eyes. She must have forgotten that she was staring, because Claudia, without so much a glancing in her direction, said, “I can see you staring, you know. Is there something on my face?”

 _shit_.

“Oh, sorry,” Rayla’s face was on fire, “There’s nothing on your face. It’s just, um…is that…glitter, on your cheeks?”

Claudia laughed from next to her, “Oh that? That’s highlighter. You put it on your cheekbones and your nose and stuff. I don’t usually wear it, but…special occasion, you know?”

“Oh,” Rayla said, heart leaping at the words ‘special occasion’, “Could you show me how to do it sometime? It looks…pretty.”

“Any time,” Claudia smiled, and then things went back to quiet.

Rayla breathed in, then out, then looked at the road in front of them. She still had no idea where they were, but she wasn’t too upset about it. She knew Claudia loved dramatics, loved surprises and romantic gestures and all the sappy stuff, and Rayla trusted her enough to pick out something that they would both love.

Claudia said nothing as her hand reached over and took Rayla’s, but all of the air left her body nonetheless. Her gaze moved to their interlocked hands, and then to Claudia, who seemed determined not to look anywhere but the road in front of her. Rayla smiled, squeezed Claudia’s hand, and relaxed.

*

Claudia took Rayla to see a movie.

It wasn’t the most extravagant of dates – there was no candle-lit dinner or romantic beach walk – but it was nice. Claudia paid for the tickets and Rayla bought snacks, and they sat alone in the middle of the back row of the cinema. It wasn’t like they hadn’t been to a movie together before, and it wasn’t like any of this was new to them. Perhaps that was why Claudia picked this – it wasn’t like things had changed between them since Rayla had asked her out. They could still see movies together like they always did, and laugh at the stupid plotlines and cheesy comments. They could still talk about how pretty the characters and the scenery were. They could still fight over the popcorn, and try desperately to be quiet so they didn’t get shushed by anyone else in the cinema. But…

But when their hands brushed together on the armrest in between them, neither of them apologised and moved away. And when the two main characters leaned in for a kiss, instead of scoffing and pretending to throw up like they always did, Rayla found herself pointedly looking anywhere but at Claudia, eyes trained ahead on the bright screen in front of them. She hoped the hand clasped in Claudia’s wasn’t getting sweaty. Her eyes betrayed her and she glanced over at Claudia, only to see the other girl already looking at her. Rayla swallowed, and her eyes fell from Claudia’s face down to her lips. Claudia did the same, and when their eyes locked again, Rayla froze. Because Claudia was here. Sitting across from her. Leaning in and closing her eyes and-

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Rayla blurted, before standing up and practically running out of the cinema. she didn’t look back, didn’t think about what she’d done until she was standing in front of a shitty bathroom mirror and washing her hands for no reason.

What the hell did she do that for?

She knew it wasn’t because she didn’t want it to happen – this was the only think she’d thought about for week, and now it was finally happening and better than anything she cold have hoped for. It certainly wasn’t Claudia, she knew that much as well. Maybe she just panicked in the moment, unprepared for the very thing she’d wanted most. Funny, almost. Not so funny when she realised that Claudia had wanted it, too, and she’d had to go and ruin it by running off to the bathroom. She sighed, ran a hand down her face out of frustration with herself. God, she was so stupid.

Her eyes moved to her reflection in the mirror. She wanted this. Claudia wanted this. There were plenty of opportunities for it to happen again. She just needed to be a little more prepared, is all.

Rayla took a deep breath in, studying her reflection, before drying her hands, leaving the bathroom, and heading back to her seat.

“Hey,” she said, sitting back down next to Claudia, “What’d I miss?”

“Not much,” Claudia replied, “That guys cousin is evil, though,” she pointed to a guy on the screen.

“Huh. Who would have thought,” and just like that, they lapsed back into how it used to be. They both settled back into their seats, munching on popcorn and watching the rest of the movie. Claudia continued to make jokes whenever the opportunity arose, and Rayla had to stifle her laughter, until the couple in front of them turned around and shushed them with angry expressions. Much less jokes were made after that.

Maybe this whole ‘dating Claudia’ thing wasn’t always going to be smooth sailing, Rayla realised as the end credits rolled. She definitely hadn’t made a mistake by asking her out though. Claudia seemed to agree, with the way she reached for her hand as they walked out of the cinema together, and swung it back and forth as they walked to the car. She didn’t seem as if she was affected by her kiss being rejected, and if she was, she definitely didn’t show it. For that, Rayla was thankful. She would have a talk with her about it later though (a very awkward talk, but a talk all the same).

“Thanks for the date,” Rayla awkwardly said once the two of them were seated in Claudia’s car.

Claudia turned the key in the ignition, turned to Rayla and beamed, “No problemo, Ray,” before her grin turned into a smirk, “But we’re not going home _just_ yet.” She pulled out o the parking lot and onto the road.

“Where are we going?” Rayla asked, intrigued.

“You’ll see,” Claudia said for the second time that night.

This time, however, Rayla decided not to probe, instead turning to look out of the car window again, and watching the world move behind them as they drove.

*

They weren’t in the car for long before Claudia pulled into the paring lot of a place Rayla had never seen before. She’d stopped recognising where they were about 5 minutes ago, when Claudia took a sharp left turn and continued down a road Rayla was unfamiliar with. Claudia hopped out of the front seat, before walking around and opening the door for Rayla. She thanked her, and Claudia just smiled in response, before she seemed to realise something.

“Okay, so…you might not like this part,” the dark-haired girl admitted. Rayla did not like the sound of that.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m gonna need you to close your eyes.” Claudia squinted, as if she already knew the other girl’s answer.

“Not happening,” Rayla answered immediately.

“Please? It’s for the surprise! It won’t be any if you peak,” Claudia pouted, and Rayla was weak.

“Fine! Okay. I’ll close my eyes while you lead me to my death.”

“Ha-ha,” Claudia rolled her eyes, “Now close ‘em! Cant have you seeing where I’m taking you.”

Rayla obliged, albeit begrudgingly, closing her eyes and letting Claudia take her arm.

She led her forward until they stepped out of the parking lot and onto…grass? Dirt? Something soft like that, and they walked up hills and through trees (Rayla knew they were trees because Claudia kept telling her she was about to bump into them) for what seemed like hours, and not once did Rayla open her eyes. She may hate closing her eyes, but the last thing she wanted to do was ruin the surprise for Claudia. They kept walking, and then rounded a corner, walked forward a bit more, before they suddenly stopped.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” Claudia stepped back, and Rayla slowly opened her eyes. Her complaint about closing them died in her throat when she saw the view in front of them.

It was as if she could see the whole city; every building, every block, for miles. The cars and buses and people looked like ants from where they were looking down from, and all the streetlights glittered, sparkling stars if stars could be orange too. It was one of the most beautiful things she’d ever seen.

They were very, very high up – Rayla could tell because of how small the city seemed, and because the air that whipped through her hair was freezing, so cold it had her pulling her jacket tighter around her.

She turned to Claudia, “Where _are_ we?”

Claudia walked closer to her, so they were almost leaning into each other’s side, “This is my secret place. I found it with Soren when I was 10, and now I come here whenever I need to think.”

“It’s beautiful,” Rayla couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from the view, “Thanks for showing me.”

“Beautiful view for a beautiful girl,” Claudia said, and the words had Rayla turning to look up at her.

“I’m sorry for running off when you tried to kiss me,” she blurted, “It’s not that I don’t like you or anything, because, believe me, _I do_ , but I was just shocked, is all. I ran away because I was scared, and I-“

Claudia cut her off by pressing her lips to Rayla’s, and she melted into the kiss almost immediately. It was so soft, so unlike anything she’d ever felt before, as their lips brushed together and she tasted the butter of the popcorn they ate not long ago. It was way too cold and both of their lips were chapped as they slid against each other in the dark, but it was _nice_. It was everything she hoped it would be. She wanted to stay like that forever, to hear the beating of their hearts mingle together and feel the hand around her neck, but then Claudia moved away and it was over before she could even comprehend that it happened.

“Oh,” Rayla said, because that was the only word her brain could supply her with.

“That was…” Claudia trailed off, searching for the right words, before she settled with, “wow.”

“Very wow,” Rayla mocked her choice of words with a grin.

“Shut up,” Claudia said, but there was no venom behind it, and she buried her head in Rayla’s shoulder.

She’d forgotten that this was _Claudia_ that she was on a date with. The same Claudia that once wore heelies to school. The same Claudia that thought fart noises were the epitome of comedy. Th same Claudia that had shared all of her secrets, all of her deepest darkest fears with Rayla. They’d known each other for years, and all that had changed between them from then to now was that now, if Rayla wanted to, she could reach over and tuck the loose strands of hair behind Claudia’s ears. She could tell her how pretty she looked, and the two of them wouldn’t have to wonder if she meant it in a platonic or romantic way. They could hold hands now, and Rayla could pull her in close, closer than necessary. She could lean in, smile as their noses brushed, look down at her lips and then to Claudia’s, asking for permission, before sealing the gap between them. They could do things like that now.

“Thanks for the date Clauds,” Rayla yawned, letting her head fall on Claudia’s shoulder as the two of them looked out at the city below.

“Any time, Ray,” she smiled, and then added, “We should probably get home before you fall sleep on my shoulder and I have to carry you back to the car.”

“We should,” Rayla reasoned, “but…how about we stay here a little longer?” she snuggled closer into Claudia’s side.

“A few more minutes can’t hurt,” Claudia agreed, and snaked her arm around the other girl’s waist.

**Author's Note:**

> they’re both gay disasters i love them. i’m rlly tired rn so i’m going to bed (jakskaka this is really rushed bc i’m tired) but gn !! hope you enjoy !!


End file.
